the secondary

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2025/07/26/rams-quentin-lake-chris-shula-training-camp-quote/85381984007/?taid=6884cb7d636c000001efcc5f&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake might not be a household name, but within the building, there is no doubt how important he is to the defense.

Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula praised Lake’s role and efforts, as he enters a contract year. From his communication to tackling to versatility, Shula referred to his safety as the “linchpin” of the Rams’ defense, and a do-it-all player who helps elevate those around him.

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Lake’s role isn’t just defined by a single position. Shula, in his second season coordinating the team’s defense, noted that the former UCLA product has the ability to seamlessly transition from playing nickel to covering receivers in the slot to dropping deep in the post as a safety, all while bringing a physical style of play near the line of scrimmage.

“These days, a lot of times when you are playing nickel, you get put in the run-through,” Shula said. “You’re almost like a linebacker sometimes in a 4-3 defense. He does that. The next thing, he’s covering a slot receiver and then the next thing, he’s deep playing middle of the post safety. Now he’s playing a half field.”

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Last season, Lake finished second on the team in combined tackles (111) and first in solo tackles (73) while recording a pair of sacks and seven pressures, all of which were career highs. His ability to play all over the field speaks volumes to his football IQ and toughness, two traits that Shula has praised a ton on the 26-year-old.

Quentin Lake had an outstanding game on Sunday. The team captain made 3 straight TD saving plays in the red zone to help secure the victory late in the 4th quarter

Highlighted by this 3rd down stop that shows great instincts by #37. I love the commentary call by Kevin Harlan pic.twitter.com/PyvgNdcAmC

— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) October 22, 2024

It only took one practice for Rams veteran to lay claim to a new role on defense
The mad scientist, DC Chris Shula, is experimenting in his lab again.

https://ramblinfan.com/it-only-took-one-practice-for-rams-veteran-to-lay-claim-to-a-new-role-on-defense-01k1b0k8x0fc

When it comes to the Rams’ secondary, there are many questions about the quality and depth of the Los Angeles Rams roster at the cornerback and safety positions. After getting plenty of playing time in a versatile role in 2024, the team seems to be focusing on placing veteran safety Quentin Lake in a more traditional safety role this season. That creates an opening for an additional defensive back in nickel and dime packages.

And that creates new opportunities for second-year defensive back Jaylen McCollough to make plays.

The Rams’ safety position was bursting with talent at this time last year. Not only did the team welcome back Quentin Lake and Russ Yeast, but the team signed veteran John Johnson III and Kamren Curl, drafted rookie Kamren Kinchens, and signed UDFA Jaylen McCollough after the draft.

Defying incredible odds, Jaylen McCollough somehow managed to sneak into the secondary’s rotation for 335 defensive snaps. From that, he was able to record 43 tackles, four pass deflections, one quarterback hit, four interceptions, and even had one pick-six. He tied the team’s interception total with rookie Kam Kinchens to lead the team in that category.

He even held opposing receivers to a catch rate of just 64.0 percent. That’s not bad considering he was an undrafted rookie safety.

On to bigger and better roles in 2025

One of the most challenging aspects of the Rams secondary last season was distributing snaps to so many worthy defensive backs. Using tools provided by Lineups.com, it is a relatively simple task to generate a data table showing the snap counts of the Rams’ defensive players. Now armed with that information, it’s easy to distinguish the difficulty of getting four safeties onto the football field. And that does not include players who are no longer with the team.

But Jaylen McCollough is here, and hungry. He needs more snaps if he is to help the secondary improve over last season. As a result, mad scientist DC Chris Shula is trying a new experiment, this time with his ball-hawking defensive back. And the first indications of a new role for McCollough are that he is already getting trialed at various positions at training camp:

Interesting wrinkle of first week of Rams camp has been safety Jaylen McCollough lining up at dime linebacker.

"He's so valuable, he's so versatile," Sean McVay said. "He's just continued to get better and show his value to this football team."

— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) July 29, 2025

Of course, how the team deploys McCollough depends on who starts at linebacker. If the Rams pair up Nate Landman with Omar Speights, then subbing in McCollough on passing downs makes a lot of sense. But if the team settles on either Pooh Paul Jr. or Shaun Dolac as the partner for Landman, that could change the defensive strategy.

I love reports of the Rams trying new angles to get McCollough on the football field. Not only is he a solid tackler who excels in pass coverage, but he is a true ball-hawking defensive back who can change the momentum of a game with one play.

Jaylen McCollough is just one of multiple veterans in line for larger roles with the team this season. But with the team already experimenting to get him more playing time, he is in a position to make a positive impact this year.